Getting worried

[HarryC]

Recently planted out spring cabbage (Offenham 2 Flower of Spring) but am concerned to find that despite being under 15mm netting the leaves have developed white patches and holes, in some case like net curtains!!! The white patches, after internet research, I am satisfied are leaf miner problems. Removed the affected leaves but how do I prevent this recurring or spreading? In addition who or what is generating the holes in the cabbage leaves?
Probably a straightforward answer to this but have only this year ventured into veg. gardening following being placed on the scrapheap i.e. Retired!!
Humour me I am an old man!!
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Harry

[taff]

I would have left the leaves on, it may have kept them in one place. the holes are probably slugs or snails.
No idea how to get rid of leaf miner, I usually just cut that bit of leaf off and use the rest.

[HarryC]

Thanks Taff, did leave the leaves on for a week or so but problem seemed to get worse. Remind me and I will let you know the outcome of my removing the leaves. Plants are only about 150 - 180mm high at the moment so didn't want the problem to get to the point of killing the whole plant. Agree with your conclusion re. slugs/snails, my garden is infested with them!! Netting I have put over the plants is secured, as far as possible, to the ground to prevent ingress of slugs/snails. Guess I need a rethink!!

Regards,

Harry

[VirginVegGrower]

Get some toads or coffee grinds maybe.

[Florence Fennel]

Hi Harry and welcome to the Vine. It's not just the slugs and snails getting from the outside into your veg bed, they are in the soil so plan their attack from the inside as well. Blue smarties (pellets) or Nematodes might be the answer. Good luck.

[HarryC]

Florence, Unhappy, a bit, about pellets and totally at a loss with nematodes! Trying to be as organic as possible but do not wish this to be the end goal. Looking to be as self sufficient as poss. i.e. produce my own veggies rather than give my money to the supermarkets. Any further assistance you could give to a newbie in this field would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Harry

[stella]

Hi Harry and welcome to the vine. I find the best thing to do is go out in the evening and collect as many snails as you and get rid of them. It helps keep the numbers down.

[northepaul]

coffee grounds or ground up egg shells supposedly works if scattered around the plant. Maybe try beer traps?
I have used Nemaslug but its rather expensive.
The bonus of growing this time of year, though, is that most of these pests will die or hibernate over winter, so (fingers X) by spring you will have healthly plants that can withstand some munching!

[binley100]

Try anything gritty or sharp around the plants ......but if you have to use little blue smarties you can get organic ones .

[Scarlet]

I had leaf miner in my beetroot and chard last year - I pick all the leaves off that have were affected and burnt them/drowned in water, seemed to work. As for the slugs (and as I have chickens and one or two will often escape from they pens for a treat- I don't use pellets etc) I would go with Stellas advice but I use a torch.

[taff]

or if you can. create an environment where slow worms would like to play, somewhere warm, like a compost heap, they'll eat them all for you.

[Two_Sheds]

unfortunately we don't get slow worms up this way (too cold for them). Slugs & snails will get through your netting easy, Harry. Do a few darkness patrols if you can, drop them in salty water.

Butterflies will easily squeeze through your 15mm netting too, and their caterpillars will swiftly chomp through your cabbages. I've had the netting off mine this week to weed, and managed to pick an average of 6 caterpillars off each plant too, ruddy things (no Large Whites, but loads of Small Whites and Cabbage Moths)